Tiger Fork: Hong Kong-inspired cuisine in the heart of Washington DC

After finishing an event in the Shaw neighborhood in Washington DC, my clients and I headed off for dinner. A friend recommended Tiger Fork, a Hong Kong-inspired restaurant. I googled the location and the map said Blagden Alley, which sounded like something out of Harry Potter.

We walked down 9th Street NW and turned on N Street NW. Google Maps said we were there but we only saw closed businesses. However, halfway down the street was an alley so we turned down the alley and a bit further down found murals on the walls and bars and restaurants. We were in Blagden Alley. There was no name on the door but the large window told us we had found Tiger Fork.

Blagden Alley is an historic district in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington DC. A series of intersecting brick-paved alleyways that date back to the 19th century were once home to workshops and stables and today is the location of bars and restaurants.

Inside, Tiger Fork is bustling. Lighted lanterns hand from the ceiling and long communal tables run down the center of the restaurant. A large bar sits in the front center of the restaurant and flames from the woks can be seen from the open kitchen in the back.

The menu at Tiger Fork showcases Hong Kong classics with a global twist. We started with the Humble Plate of Chili Wontons. Filled with turkey, shrimp and ginger and a chili sauce, the wontons are delicate and literally melt in the mouth. Shaved radish in the center of the bowl adds texture and a freshness with each bite of the wonton. This was a standout dish.

The Cheung Fun are rice noodles stuffed with shrimp and flowering chives and are a very light dish to start with.

Smashed Cucumber Salad with garlic, chili and sesame is very refreshing but also had a little kick.

The Pork Ribs are meaty with soy, ginger and Happy Lady Spice sauce that is finger-lickin’ good.

For some greens, we enjoyed the Broccolini with garlic and house-made oyster sauce.

The tender wide rice noodles are topped with brisket and bok choy in the Beef Chow Fun which was a favorite dish.

Our final dish was the Fried Rice with chicken and Chinese sausage.

Each dish was full of flavor and to pair with the dishes we enjoyed a Kerner from Italy. I was impressed by the wine list, dominated by French and Italian wines.

Tucked into Blagden Alley, Tiger Fork is a cool spot that takes you on a journey to Hong Kong.